OR couple accused of sex acts on Vegas-bound flight

An Oregon couple on a flight bound for Las Vegas last month was arrested after passengers on the plane said they saw them performing sexual acts on each other, according to a criminal complaint.

The complaint, provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office of the District of Nevada, said 44-year-old Christopher Martin and 33-year-old Jessica Stroble were arrested at McCarran International Airport on June 21 after their 90-minute flight that originated in Medford, OR.

Citing witnesses on board, the complaint described Martin and Stroble engaging in apparent sexual acts while in their seats on Allegiant Airlines Flight 557.

According to the report, two people sitting across the aisle from Martin and Stroble described the woman, who was sitting in the middle of three seats, placing her head in the man's lap. They said the man was sitting in the window seat just as the plane was departing Medford.

"[The man] was in his own world," a witness stated in describing the act in the complaint.

After the woman finished placing her head on the man's lap, the man, as described by witnesses in the complaint, was seen placing his hand down the woman's pants.

The complaint goes on to describe the woman placing her head again on the man's lap after drink and snack service, as corroborated by the two passengers and a flight attendant.

A witness told investigators in the complaint it appeared the woman had been performing oral sex on the man.

According to the complaint, one of the passengers told a flight attendant, "This is not the sex education I wanted to give my teenage sons" when she complained about the couple.

In the flight's descent, the complaint described the man exposing the woman's breast before a flight attendant ordered them to stop.

The couple was charged with committing lewd, indecent and obscene acts on an airplane.

Lindsay Hernquist, a spokeswoman for the airlines, said the company cannot comment on a pending legal matter.

"While we want our passenger to enjoy themselves while they are on our flights, we would never allow them to do so at the expense of other passengers' comfort."

Martin's attorney, Larry C. Hill, said he will vigorously defend him against the allegations.

"Mr. Martin is prejudicially characterized by the media as a reckless individual, which is contrary to his long-standing ties and contributions to the southern Oregon community," Hill said in a statement to FOX5's Doug Johnson.

"Before any of this material has been truly [fleshed] out in the legal system, he's already being deemed guilty by the media," Hill told FOX5.

Hill said as a result of the attention this case has gotten, Martin has been forced to take a leave of absence from his job at Troon Vineyards in Applegate Valley, just outside of Grants Pass, OR.

"There's customers canceling contracts with him. There's orders that are not being renewed," Hill said.

Troon Vineyard is also trying to distance itself from Martin.

"We have an amazing team of people here, we're all rallying around each other. Keeping things going. We've made fabulous wine," said Brian Gruber, acting director of operations at Troon Vineyard.

Meanwhile, Hill warns witnesses may be exaggerating what they actually saw, as they didn't have a clear view of the couple on board the plane.

"We would just ask the public to withhold their judgment and just let the legal process run its course," Hill said.

Martin and Stroble are scheduled to appear before a federal judge in Las Vegas on Aug. 28. They face a fine of up to $500, 90 days in jail or both.